OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Avoca, IA 51521

Avoca: median income $73,769, home value $202,800, $73/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oakland, NE 68045 92%63$75,893$163,100$73 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Randolph, NE 68771 91%120$83,580$162,500— cheaper homes ($40K less)
Ravenna, NE 68869 91%187$65,208$169,400$79 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Akron, CO 80720 91%421$65,913$219,100$96 Very close on everything we compare
Polo, IL 61064 90%299$75,386$164,400$79 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Fulda, MN 56131 89%166$73,063$180,100$99 Very close on everything we compare
Stanton, NE 68779 89%101$78,594$203,300$106 Very close on everything we compare
Remington, IN 47977 88%429$80,000$167,100$87 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Winnebago, MN 56098 88%170$69,000$147,900$103 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Marion, SD 57043 88%166$64,375$221,500$81 newer homes
Onaga, KS 66521 88%144$61,250$193,000$75 Very close on everything we compare
Dorchester, NE 68343 88%108$74,554$173,400$99 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Stromsburg, NE 68666 88%118$63,529$177,200$101 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Shullsburg, WI 53586 87%274$70,806$166,100$106 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Arnold, NE 69120 87%249$69,886$158,200— cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · younger residents
Port Edwards, WI 54469 86%341$74,038$153,400$108 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Beach, ND 58621 86%569$67,000$124,800$69 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Woodhull, IL 61490 86%264$65,625$158,000$68 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · older residents
Creighton, NE 68729 86%147$63,292$152,300$71 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Springfield, MN 56087 85%191$64,375$142,600$92 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Canby, MN 56220 85%229$61,414$174,500$80 cheaper homes ($28K less) · newer homes
Elbow Lake, MN 56531 85%314$74,583$154,100$104 cheaper homes ($49K less) · newer homes
Cissna Park, IL 60924 85%394$78,250$154,900$94 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents
Cherokee, OK 73728 85%364$67,417$118,600— cheaper homes ($84K less)
Gibbon, MN 55335 84%217$62,206$149,300$98 cheaper homes ($54K less)

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.